The Stanley Cup champions want to keep title team together.

Published: Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 5:24 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 12:26 p.m.

No. 1 goalThe top priority of the Lightning will be to re-sign free-agent goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, a main cog in Tampa Bay's title run.

ASSOCIATED PRESS / RYAN REMIORZ

But for most of the teams in the National Hockey League, the actual players on the ice will be completely different.

When it is ratified next week, the league's new collective bargaining agreement will likely set a $39 million cap while reducing players' salaries 24 percent. There are also estimates that as many as 430 of the NHL's 700 players will become free agents as soon as Aug. 1.

While the deal could change much of the league's landscape, the Tampa Bay Lightning are one team that hopes it doesn't change much. They operated on a $33 million budget in 2004 and won the Stanley Cup.

"We've always operated under a cap in Tampa and it's called a budget," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said Friday from New York, where he spent the day in informational meetings about the new collective bargaining agreement. "Sometimes it's disheartening, but we've had plenty of success. Now, we won't have to worry about playing against the team that can spend freely to get whatever player they want."

Feaster made it clear that the Lightning will do everything in their power to bring back as many players as possible. The first concerns will be unrestricted free agents Nikolai Khabibulin and Dave Andreychuck along with expected restricted free agents Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, Dan Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko.

"We're the defending Stanley Cup champions and for a reason," Feaster said. "We went to great lengths and effort to bring back almost everyone for last season and we're planning on doing the same thing again."

The 32-year-old Khabibulin would certainly garner a huge contract under the old deal, but it's unclear how freely teams will be able to spend when the free agency period begins. One of the protective measures installed in the new agreement includes a rule that no player can make more than 20 percent ($7.8 million) of a team's payroll.

"The opportunity to repeat as a Stanley Cup champion, I think, is something everybody wants to try to do," Khabibulin's agent, Jay Grossman, told the Tampa Tribune. "But it remains to be seen what (the CBA) means for Nik and what it means for the Lightning."

Feaster and the Lightning understand the importance of a goaltender like Khabibulin. And with rules changes aimed at increasing scoring and freeing up play expected, it will be even more important to have a netminder with quick reflexes.

"It was Nik Khabibulin that built the foundation for this club," Feaster said. "He was the player that helped us win back when we weren't sure that we could win. A lot of nights, he was the sole reason we would get out of a building with two points."

The Lightning were discussing a new contract with St. Louis and getting close when it became clear there would be a labor dispute. At that point, the talks broke off until a resolution came.

Now, the team will actively pursue re-signing him again when the agreement is ratified.

"One of the things that has to happen is you have to figure out what the values are of players now," Feaster said. "Is a $5 million player now a $3 million player and is a $3 million player now a $1 million player? I think there will be a feeling-out process when the signing period begins."

The next chance for the Lightning to add players will be July 30, the tentative date for the NHL draft in Ottawa. This season, the draft order will be decided through a lottery and the Lightning are expected to have a 1-in-48 shot at the No. 1 overall pick, which is expected to be Canadian junior phenom Sidney Crosby.

After that, the free agency period is expected to begin and the market will be flooded with talent. The Lightning hope it won't be their talent.

<p>ST. PETERSBURG -- The uniforms and buildings will remain the same.</p><p>But for most of the teams in the National Hockey League, the actual players on the ice will be completely different.</p><p>When it is ratified next week, the league's new collective bargaining agreement will likely set a $39 million cap while reducing players' salaries 24 percent. There are also estimates that as many as 430 of the NHL's 700 players will become free agents as soon as Aug. 1.</p><p>While the deal could change much of the league's landscape, the Tampa Bay Lightning are one team that hopes it doesn't change much. They operated on a $33 million budget in 2004 and won the Stanley Cup.</p><p>"We've always operated under a cap in Tampa and it's called a budget," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said Friday from New York, where he spent the day in informational meetings about the new collective bargaining agreement. "Sometimes it's disheartening, but we've had plenty of success. Now, we won't have to worry about playing against the team that can spend freely to get whatever player they want."</p><p>Feaster made it clear that the Lightning will do everything in their power to bring back as many players as possible. The first concerns will be unrestricted free agents Nikolai Khabibulin and Dave Andreychuck along with expected restricted free agents Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, Dan Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko.</p><p>"We're the defending Stanley Cup champions and for a reason," Feaster said. "We went to great lengths and effort to bring back almost everyone for last season and we're planning on doing the same thing again."</p><p>The 32-year-old Khabibulin would certainly garner a huge contract under the old deal, but it's unclear how freely teams will be able to spend when the free agency period begins. One of the protective measures installed in the new agreement includes a rule that no player can make more than 20 percent ($7.8 million) of a team's payroll.</p><p>"The opportunity to repeat as a Stanley Cup champion, I think, is something everybody wants to try to do," Khabibulin's agent, Jay Grossman, told the Tampa Tribune. "But it remains to be seen what (the CBA) means for Nik and what it means for the Lightning."</p><p>Feaster and the Lightning understand the importance of a goaltender like Khabibulin. And with rules changes aimed at increasing scoring and freeing up play expected, it will be even more important to have a netminder with quick reflexes.</p><p>"It was Nik Khabibulin that built the foundation for this club," Feaster said. "He was the player that helped us win back when we weren't sure that we could win. A lot of nights, he was the sole reason we would get out of a building with two points."</p><p>The Lightning were discussing a new contract with St. Louis and getting close when it became clear there would be a labor dispute. At that point, the talks broke off until a resolution came.</p><p>Now, the team will actively pursue re-signing him again when the agreement is ratified.</p><p>"One of the things that has to happen is you have to figure out what the values are of players now," Feaster said. "Is a $5 million player now a $3 million player and is a $3 million player now a $1 million player? I think there will be a feeling-out process when the signing period begins."</p><p>The next chance for the Lightning to add players will be July 30, the tentative date for the NHL draft in Ottawa. This season, the draft order will be decided through a lottery and the Lightning are expected to have a 1-in-48 shot at the No. 1 overall pick, which is expected to be Canadian junior phenom Sidney Crosby.</p><p>After that, the free agency period is expected to begin and the market will be flooded with talent. The Lightning hope it won't be their talent.</p>